The transformation of steroids by microorganisms has been widely studied and documented. Apparently, the earliest such work was by Mamoli and Vercellone in 1937, Ber. 70, 470 and Ber. 70, 2079. They disclosed the reduction of 7-ketosteroids to 17.beta.-hydroxysteroids by fermenting yeast. Since then, Peterson and Murray disclosed the 11.alpha.-hydroxylation of progesterone with the fungus Rhizopus nigricans; see U.S. Pat. No. 2,602,769 (1952). Kraychy et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 3,684,657 (1972) discloses the selective microbiological degradation of steroidal 17-alkyls by fermenting a steroid containing at least 8 carbons in the 17-alkyl side chain with Myobacterium sp. NRRL B-3683 to prepare androst-4-ene-3,17-dione (AD), androst-1,4-diene-3,27-dione (ADD), and 20.alpha.-hydroxymethylpregna-1,4-dien-3-one. Marsheck et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 3,759,791 (1973) disclose the selective microbiological preparation of androst-4-ene-3,27-dione by fermenting a steroid of the cholestane or stigmastane series containing at least 8 carbons in the 17 -alkyl side chain with Mycobacterium sp. NRRL B-3805.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,029,549 discloses a process for preparing 9.alpha.-hydroxy-3-ketobisnorchol-4-en-22-oic using the microorganism Mycobacterium fortuitum, NRRL B-8119.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,293,646 discloses a process for preparing predominantly AD using the microorganism Mycobacterium fortuitum, NRRL B-11359.